How To Win at Public Relations: Take Deep Breaths (Often)
This is part two in a never-ending series on how to win at public relations. Here's part one.
Fact: Public relations is demanding.
So for those who want to do it for a living, we salute you.
But before you take the shrink wrap off of your AP Stylebook, run your fingertips over your keyboard and begin pounding out a brilliant pitch that is going to knock off your client's socks, know this: there will be days when you want to rip your AP Stylebook in half.
(Another hint: destroying company property is not a suggested strategy for winning.)
If you work on the agency side, it's not uncommon to balance a handful of clients at once who are (rightfully) asking for immediate results — ugh, I hate this phrase — yesterday. And it's inevitable that you will encounter one who doesn't understand why they are paying you a large chunk of their fiscal year budget.
To them, this might be a valid question.
They haven't seen a cover story in the Wall Street Journal (or an equally impressive piece of coverage) so they want to know what you've been doing.
Assuming you have been doing something, this is a perfect opportunity to show your value.
Are you building the client's reputation on their family of social media sites?
Put it in PowerPoint!
Are you changing customer perception through strategically placed op-ed articles?
Wow them with your words!
Are you consistently placing local executives on smaller but oh-so-important radio shows in key markets?
Numb them with numbers!
The first reaction we tend to exhibit when faced with a challenging inquiry is anger. The accusation that we're not adding value is one that can rattle even the most experienced PR person. But if you don't handle it properly and see it for what it is, you risk placing yourself on your client's bad side. And trust me when I say that nobody wants to be there. It can be impossible to dig yourself out.
So take a deep breath, assess what you've done, and show your client the nuts and bolts of the program. Assure them that the small steps you're taking today will mean long strides in the future, and maybe even that Wall Street Journal article, if newspapers are still around.
(On second thought, don't say that.)
